The mother is central to the picture of blessing and prosperity. —Nancy Wilson, The Fruit of Her Hands (2000) Great cities are commonly called mothers…. —John Wesley on 2 Samuel 20:19 A Mother in Israel Deborah called herself “a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7).  As a judge and prophetess, she acted as a mother to the covenant people, not a father.  Her goal was to nurture and raise up a new generation of young men who would fight the battles of the LORD.  For the most part, she succeeded, and her “sons” honored her. The
continue reading…

“Jael’s actions are not only deviant and violent but socially revolutionary…” —Daniel Block, Judges (1999) “I’ve got two guns in my hand—is it okay to shoot him if he comes in this door?” the young mother asked the 911 dispatcher.  “I’m here by myself with my infant baby…” —Sarah McKinley, cbs.news.com (2012) Remember, Last Week…      The prophetess Deborah stirred up Barak to rally a poorly armed Israelite militia against the armies and chariots of the Canaanite king, Jabin.  The odds against Barak and his men were horrendous, but God intervened and brought down torrents of
continue reading…

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. —John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address (1961) Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! —Patrick Henry (1775) The Long Twilight Struggle The struggle for freedom is essentially a religious undertaking.  Its most important battles are theological and spiritual.  It is never enough to defeat the tyrant in battle; the religious philosophy that allowed the tyrant
continue reading…

I say, put him to death, executed by the judgments of God upon him, as an implacable enemy to God and Israel. —Matthew Henry, Commentary (1708) Bible Stories You Never Heard Sunday school isn’t always the best place to learn Bible stories.  First, children often hear the stories out of order and out of context.  The teacher or curriculum often skips from Noah to Peter and back to Elijah without any reference to sequence or a timeline.  Every story is set in the limbo of “Bible-times”—which is to say, the first four thousand years of
continue reading…

…Say to him, “There is an anxious seat, come and avow your determination to be on the Lord’s side…” —Charles Finney, Lectures on Revivals of Religion (1835) The History of Invitations and Choices “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  These words regularly show up on the posters and plaques sold in Christian bookstores.  The words were originally Joshua’s as part of his farewell address to Israel (Josh. 24).  Of course, the ellipsis tells us that some of his words are missing. 
continue reading…

The covenant idea is nothing but the expression of the representative principle consistently applied to all reality. —Cornelius Van Til, A Survey of Christian Epistemology (1969) The Story of Ai Jericho had fallen.  Israel’s next military target was the small fortress-town of Ai several miles to the west.  Scouts found the city and its defenses unimpressive and told Joshua that a small strike force of two or three thousand could deal effectively with the town.  Joshua went with the higher number.  Israel was riding high on the exhilaration of victory.  Israel was also sure that
continue reading…

Joshua fit de battle ob Jerico/ An’ de walls come tumblin’ down. —Black spiritual Yahweh’s Commander Jericho stood on a high hill.  The city was oblong and covered nine acres.  Its compound outer wall was six times the height of a man.  Its massive inner wall stood further up on an inclined earthen embankment covered with plaster.  The city was impregnable. As Joshua stood beneath it, surveying its defenses, something in the shadow caught his eye.  He looked up and saw a warrior with a sword in hand.  Joshua immediately spoke in challenge:  “Are you
continue reading…

The true promised land is the “New Earth,” an earth separated from heathendom and paganism and dedicated to the service of God. —Roderick Campbell, Israel and the New Covenant (1954) The Heavenly Country Abraham lived as a stranger in the Promised Land for a hundred years. During his lifetime, he never inherited any of it (Acts 7:5). But that didn’t bother him. He saw beyond Canaan. Abraham looked for a heavenly country. He looked for the City of God (Heb. 11:8-16). And yet Canaan was the Promised Land. God promised that He would give it
continue reading…

Sooner or later everyone has to decide which gang they belong to. —Pepper in Gaiman and Pratchett’s Good Omens (1990) Rahab’s Treason Rahab was a prostitute.  Not a temple prostitute either, but an ordinary whore.  Her house sat on the wall of ancient Jericho.  Citizens and strangers alike could find it easily.  They only had to look up. One evening two strangers appeared at Rahab’s door.  They asked for lodging for the night; there was no talk of other business from the text.  Rahab quickly saw through their disguises though.  They were Israelites.  The whole
continue reading…

… A vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homopho­bic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully. —Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (2008) A three year old child may slap its father in his face only because the father holds it up on his knee. —Cornelius Van Til, Toward a Reformed Apologetic (1972) The Charge of Genocide The word genocide is a modern one.  It was coined in 1944 by Raphael Lemkin, a brilliant legal scholar originally from Poland, but Jewish by descent.  The word literally means “killing a tribe.”  Lemkin’s first definition
continue reading…